Civic leader loses battle with cancer

Heath Hixson

Published
7:00 pm CDT, Friday, September 6, 2002

Friends and family said the 78-year-old Friend would be remembered for her positive, caring and friendly attitude, as well as her high level of energy to volunteer with several organizations at the same time.

"She always had such a positive outlook, and she was tremendously uplifting in her spirit," said John Friend, 43, one of Ann Friend's sons. "People will remember her as always having an uplifting smile. People just immediately liked her. That is one of the reasons she was so popular."

Friend moved to The Woodlands in 1977 with her husband Clifford, who died in 1998, and was known not only for being kind and caring to others, but also very active in the community.

She was one of the first Hometown Heroes in The Woodlands, an award bestowed upon residents in The Woodlands who are active in their community. She owned a successful direct-mail business before recently selling it and is known as one of the founders of the South Montgomery County Woodlands Chamber of Commerce.

Friend also helped in landing state approval to build a nonprofit hospital in south Montgomery County, now known as Memorial Hermann The Woodlands, as well as leading the charge for higher education in the area, resulting in the establishment of Montgomery College.

"Ann was a very special person. She opened a lot of doors, a lot of doors for others, a lot of doors for herself," said Kenne Turner, Montgomery College dean of corporate and continuing education. "It is a tremendous loss. In my mind, she really truly represented what oneness is, because she could bring people together, she could minimize factions."

Friend is also known for establishing a holiday fund-raising tradition in December for Interfaith of The Woodlands, a nondenominational religious group in the community. Friend and associates filled sand into bags for the luminaries, which at one time helped light up The Woodlands during the holiday season.

Barbara Holland, a retired resident of The Woodlands and longtime friend who helped shovel the sand and deliver the luminaries, said Friend would be remembered as "a smiling, generous person — generous to everyone, rich and poor, young and old."

"She just wasn't afraid of anything, including cancer. She believed in this community," Holland said. "A happy spirit, a happy, generous spirit, I don't think anyone ever saw hear mad. She was just happy, no matter what happened to her."

Friend is also remembered for other contributions to the community, including starting business advertising in the Interfaith Directory as a fund-raiser and volunteering with groups such as the United Way and helping Turner establish The Academy for Life-Long Learning at Montgomery College.

Other residents of The Woodlands who knew Friend well said she personally affected their lives and others.

"She was just one of my role models in my life," said Susan Vreeland, a longtime friend and The Woodlands Operating Company director of marketing. "She was an inspiration to me and many people, and many woman in particular. She was a very intelligent businesswoman, but she had a very caring, giving side to her."

One of her business accomplishments was her direct-mail business. Friend started The Mailing House as a way to help nonprofit groups mail their information to residents. While she was financially successful with her company, those who knew her said it wasn't about money, but to help the different organizations.

Susan Thompson, co-owner of Hometown Greetings and owner of Hometown Marketing in The Woodlands and a longtime friend, said Friend was all business when she was in the business world, but she was a delightful person.

"She absolutely loved this community," Thompson said. "I think she will be remembered as a community advocate and as people person, and she loved relationships."

Most of all, those who knew Friend said she would be remembered for her involvement in the community and the way she treated others. Several said Friend's death is a severe loss to The Woodlands and surrounding area and it would be tough to find another person with her commitment and drive to help others.

"There are so many things to be said about her," said Bill Hirte, president of MailPro Targeted Communications who worked for Friend for 13 years at The Mailing Room. "The one thing that stands out to me is how many people she affected in a positive way. She was involved in so many organizations and nonprofits. I think it is a huge loss to the community."

Services for Friend will be Sunday and Monday in The Woodlands. A viewing is scheduled Sunday night from 4-8 p.m. at Forest Park in The Woodlands. On Monday, a memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. at The Woodlands Methodist Church, with the burial and a reception to follow.

Her two sons, John Friend, 43, of Shenandoah and Robert Friend, 41, of Atlanta survive Friend. Three grandchildren and other family also survive her.

The family is in the process of deciding on a charity for donations in lieu of flowers.

"She was just such a significant figure here in The Woodlands," John Friend said. "Her legacy would be just the warmth, the welcoming, the positive attitude that she left with everyone, and then would pass it on to others she met.